Major Accident on I-10 in AZ

[Boatcop]

Just got a news flash. Major accident on Interstate 10, west of Phoenix.
At least 4 Semi trucks, a tour bus and several passenger vehicles collide in heavy dust storm.
I-10 is closed for an indefinite amount of time in the area of Tonopah/Wintersburg Road. (about MP 114)
More to come when details come out.

[Boatcop]

And what the hell happened to my signature link????? :confused:

[Ziggy]

And what the hell happened to my signature link????? :confused:
I think you need to change <these> to [these] again ;)

[Boatcop]

Thanks!
What other glitches can we find in this new format?

[Floored]

Hey, they didn't take your DOUGHNUTS :cry: it ain't all bad. thanks for the heads-up on the accident as I travel that way alot. :yuk: have a safe night

[fourspeednup]

Shiat...that's no good. I've cruised that section of freeway a lot and always wondered what would happen if the sh!t hit the fan. Sounds like some peeps are gonna be stuck for awhile and wish everyone involved the best :frown:

[Craig]

Saw it on the news last night, 3 miles from my work exit on the 10, looked pretty bad, didn't even know the number of casualties as of 9 PM :(

[Boatcop]

As of this morning (6:00 AM) the west bound I-10 is still closed, and the east bound has only one lane open.
Reported 2 fatalities and more than 30 injured. 16 semi trucks, a dozen or so cars and a passenger bus involved.
Looks like I'm taking US 60 to my meeting in Peoria this morning. :(

[PHX ATC]

I was at work last night when this happened. I work in the air traffic control tower at Sky Harbor Airport with a view to die for. It was a major storm that came down from the northwest and north. The wind was initially gusting to 20 knots, then was sustained at 30 knots for over 10 minutes, until finally settling into a 22 knot sustained front for about 30 minutes. Of course accompanied with this was the typical AZ wall of dust. The frontal wall was extremely thick and as it thinned out, it still carried pretty well into the actualy storm cell. Visibility was less than 1/4 mile at one point, then increased a wee bit. Planes wouldn't land nor takeoff as it exceeded their manufacturer's requirements for a crosswind.
Actually the cell that came out towards Buckeye was 30% larger (at least on the Doppler RADAR), so it was probably worse than the one that harpooned the airport. It usually is a nasty mess as most folks don't know how to drive or what to do in a dust storm.

[Boozer]

What are you suppose to do if driving and you run into one of these things? Just pull over and wait it out?

[LaveyJet]

I work in the air traffic control tower at Sky Harbor Airport
That explains the screen name, "Pushing Tin" eh? Is that just a movie expression or the real deal?

[PHX ATC]

That explains the screen name, "Pushing Tin" eh? Is that just a movie expression or the real deal?
In a roundabout way, that's what we do. Although the movie was rather hollywooded out. The RADAR room was real enough, but the actions, lack of training was comedic at best. It was entertainment to watch it. The hard times that they all gave each other is real...you have to have thick skin to do this job. You get critiqued from every angle. I love the job. I wouldn't trade it for anything else.
As far as dust storm driving, "they" suggest you pull off the road to the side and turn off your lights and take your foot off the brake pedal and wait it out. My wife has done this and done okay on a much less crowded road.

[Jordy]

Four Dead In Separate I-10 Accidents
08-12-2004 6:06 AM
(Phoenix, AZ) -- Accidents on I-10 west of Phoenix during a dust storm yesterday evening have claimed four lives. DPS says a huge pileup near Tonopah, involving a bus, about 16 trucks and a number of passenger vehicles killed two people and sent more than 41 to hospitals. The collision was at milepost 98. Another wreck at milepost 68 also killed two people. Westbound I-10 remains closed at milepost 98. Traffic is being detoured and returned to the freeway at milepost 94. The crash at milepost 68 has been cleared. Eastbound traffic lanes are restricted, but traffic is flowing in that direction.
And as PHX ATC pointed out, if you get caught in one, pull off the road, turn off your lights and keep your foot off the break. Some people will try and drive through them and if they see your lights and can't see the road they're more often than not going to try and "follow" you... happens quite frequently. :(

[Boatcop]

I had go to a meeting in Phoenix today. Took US 60 through Wickenburg to avoid the delay. As of right now (4:30 PM) I-10 is still closed west bound while they repair the roadway.
The wreck at MP 68 killed a local Parker woman. Patricia Murray was a former Nun, and school teacher here in Parker. She taught my son in Elementry School. She was coming back from Phoenix with our priest from the local Catholic Church, where she runs the adinistrative side. Father Lobo (yes, that's his real name) was airlifted out with moderate injuries, but is expected to be OK and released in a few days.
:cry: :frown:

[N2Lake]

I can't believe they had to close the Westbound 10 for that long. I would imagine the westbound lane was backed up damn near to Casa Grande.

[Boatcop]

I can't believe they had to close the Westbound 10 for that long. I would imagine the westbound lane was backed up damn near to Casa Grande.
Luckily it happened between Tonopah (411th Ave) and Wintersburg Road. They were able to route traffic over to Indian School road to get by.
Not a total back-up, but still slow and go for about 10 miles.

[AzDon]

My wife and I left Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale about 5:10 PM and decided at the last minute to get a room rather than drive home to Havasu. TV news claimed that the first 911 call was at 6 PM. I probably woulda been in it or got caught in the traffic aftermath (Woulda really sucked for us to check out with a 16 year old at home). We got home at 2PM the next day and TV news at five said the westbound might be open in a few hours..... 75 mph speed limit plus zero visibility plus frightened motorists slowing or stopping equals disaster! The news said that a car stopped, but when all is said and done, it is the trucks that are gonna pay!

[schiada96]

My wife and I left Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale about 5:10 PM and decided at the last minute to get a room rather than drive home to Havasu. TV news claimed that the first 911 call was at 6 PM. I probably woulda been in it or got caught in the traffic aftermath (Woulda really sucked for us to check out with a 16 year old at home). We got home at 2PM the next day and TV news at five said the westbound might be open in a few hours..... 75 mph speed limit plus zero visibility plus frightened motorists slowing or stopping equals disaster! The news said that a car stopped, but when all is said and done, it is the trucks that are gonna pay!
If the car was stopped how is it not the trucks fault? If that is the case then the truck should be responsible. Never drive faster than you can see right. Basic speed law and all that.

[beach gomer]

About 10 miles east of Desert Center,saw about 6 big rigs over turned a mobile home off the trailer it was on, and a Toyota 4runner went through the back of it.also saw a bus over turned.the temp went from 106 to 71 in about a 10 mile span.real hard rain storm with it.Nasty